Event Partners

Music 4.5: Blockchain Technology and Data

Blockchain technology and data – saviours of the music industry?

14.00 Registration& networking

14.30 Opening remarks
2Pears welcome and introducing the chair of the day Jon Collins, Author, commentator and adviser, IDG Connect

14.40 Blockchain technology – current opportunities and future applications
How is blockchain technology currently used, who is using it successfully, and how can it be applied to the music industry?Michael Mainelli, Chairman, Z/Yen

14.50 Building a cryptocurrency system for the music industry
What does it take? How could it be implemented? And – the burning question – by whom? Apple/Google/Amazon, or a start-up lurking in the wings?Evan Stein, Founder, Decibel Music Systems

15.00 Can streaming services, royalty tracking and transparency be improved by blockchain?
Artists and managers have long argued that streaming services need to provide more transparency around musicians’ income, especially against ‘the practices of major rightsholder corporations who distort the music market for their own gain’ (Brian Message). Can blockchain provide such transparency – how are artists and managers engaging with the Revelator UI to blockchain?Bruno Guez, Founder, Revelator - speaking via video link

15.10 The politics of trust in the music-tech industry - who is best placed to supply a comprehensive music rights database? Is a comprehensive database even necessary?
Creating and running a comprehensive, global music rights database is notoriously tricky and has been tried a number of times by the music industry, with the GRD as the latest failed initiative. What is the viability of these databases on a local /national/global basis? And what is the likelihood of success for particular approaches based on historical experience? Is the time now right for the technology giants to supply such a database, especially as they are creating their own rights information systems?Paul Jessop, Founder and Director, County Analytics

15.20 The developing music-tech industry infrastructure
Over the past few years, an increasing number of music-tech companies have developed a global purchase-and-play metering infrastructure. Who is doing what, and who has had the most success? What are the implications for the changing music industry landscape? Phil Sant, Co-founder and Chief Engineer, Omnifone

15.30 Panel Discussion: What could blockchain technology do for the music-tech industry?
What does this new technology do? How could it be implemented? Is it scalable enough?Moderator:Kim de Ruiter, Brand Marketing, Samsung Panellists:Paul Jessop, Founder and Director, County Analytics Michael Mainelli, Chairman, Z/Yen Phil Sant, Co-founder and Chief Engineer, Omnifone Evan Stein, Founder, Decibel Music Systems

16.10 Coffee/Tea Break

16.30 The human factor
Prior to using blockchain technology, data needs to be compiled and entered into the system. How do we achieve human consistency for the traceability mechanism? Who is setting the industry standards? Is it de facto iTunes with its 70-page long style-guide who is acting as the current ‘data police’?Kieron Faller, General Manager, Consolidated Independent

16.40 International initiatives, authority and inclusion issues
Suppose one of the big tech companies does end up running some kind of rights database – with Google/YouTube being well-placed as they implement Content ID. As they are not the right holders, what important questions will be raised over authority, accuracy and inclusion?Charlie Phillips, Head of Legal and Commercial Affairs, World Independent Network

16.50 Artists and data
The key questions from an artist perspective are: will blockchain technology help monetise the music better? Will it help them reach new audiences? If yes, then what are the requirements from the artists? Jimmy Mikaoui, Co-founder, Managing Director, Marathon Artists

17.00 When blockchain isn’t the answer – audio coding Bagz.it
Are there areas where blockchain technology is not the solution? And where would it require additional applications that make it viable?Tim Hegarty, ‎Managing Director, Bagzit Ltd

17.10 Panel Discussion: Is blockchain technology a realistic opportunity for the music industry?
How could it be implemented?
By whom? What are the competitor technologies and implementers? And how to resolve the trust issues? What might come along next?Moderator:Jon Collins, Author, commentator and adviser, IDG Connect Panellists:Kieron Faller, General Manager, Consolidated Independent Tim Hegarty, ‎Managing Director, Bagzit LtdJimmy Mikaoui, Co-founder, Marathon ArtistsCharlie Phillips, Head of Legal and Commercial Affairs, World Independent Network